Sunstones
Sunstones are a unique type of large, quartz-like crystals that absorb errant ley and produce purified light. Engems and Sunstone, while similar, should not be confused for one another as the former uses elemental magic energy and the later uses residual magic energy. Appearance In their unrefined state, sunstones are semi-transparent hexagonal crystals that are often light blue, bright green, or crimson red in color. Sunstones vary in size from the size of an apple to the height of an adult pony. Raw sunstones are very similar to quartz in appearance, but can easily be differenciated by the common crystal by the fact that they always give off either a very bright light or a pale glow. Properties Sunstones seem to be one of the few natural substances that's capable of purifying Ley Energy and give off a magical light as a by-product of this purification. In the deep underground caverns where sunstones grow, this light often results in the creation of subterranian oasises where the light of the sunstones can sustain the growth of large complex plants normally found only on the surface. For unknown reasons, "raw" sunstones follow a cycle of activity and dormancy that corrolates with the time of day on the surface, becoming incredibly bright during the day and becoming dim when the sun sets. Source & Crafting Deposts of sunstones can be found all across the Known World in deep underground caverns. Some of the largest known sunstone deposits can be found in Heliopolis, Sleipniden, northern Celestina, Cervidas, and central Primus. Sunstone is relatively simple to craft into the necessary shape, as it is not much harder to cut than quartz. However, it is necessary that, in order for sunstones to keep their natural property, they need to be kept at a certain minimal volume and size (as in, they can be cut super small and super thin). Commercial Uses Sunstones are commonly used by Canids to light their mining tunnels and underground cities in place of lit torches (which would contaminate the air with smoke and possibly ignite deposits of flammable gases). Sunstones are also commonly used as a power source for many kinds of arcane magi-technology (such as those made by Spark Industries) and can be "recharged" by exposing them to direct sunlight. Soul Gems Dark Sorcerers and Necromancers have found another, more morbid use for sunstones. By performing a certain ritual that mixes elements of enchanting and alchemy (though the details of this particular ritual are considered Forbidden Knowledge by the Celestine Empire and Heliopolis), it is possible to transform a sunstone into what is often called a 'Soul Gem'. Whenever a soul gem is stabbed into a living creature, it causes near instant and agonizing death by absorbing said creature's lifeforce (and supposedly their very souls). Once they have been "filled", soul gems are commonly used to power flesh or bone golems or to grant additional power over residual magic to other creatures. Unlike normal sunstones, soul gems are a dark, glowing black and, once filled, they give off a dark purplish-black glow. Trivia & Lore *According to legend, soul gems filled with the lifeforce of unicorns were used by a mad unicorn that called himself Sol to power his bio-mechanical self augmentations. For crimes against ponykind and attempting to overthrow the throne of Equestria, Sol "the Augmented Alicorn" was sentenced to eternal imprisonment in the pits of Tartarus. *The legends of the Nagas claim that the Sunstones originally came to this world inside of large meteors that crashed into the Known World long before recorded history. Category:Items Category:Resources Category:Artifacts